MARIN Multi-use Demonstration Day

29 October 2018

Multi-use concept development for seaweed and floating solar around wind turbines

9.30 – 13.00 Seminar on multi-use

14.00 – 17.00 Model test visit & Roadmap

Ocean space holds many opportunities for the production of both energy and food. Wind energy will be produced in large quantities on the North Sea in the near future. Combining wind with solar energy and seaweed production promises to make a more efficient use of offshore space and assets. How do we best combine those different functionalities? In this open innovation project a step towards realisation is made by conceptualizing, building and testing a concept, including model tests in the basin. In this way experience is gained on multi-use of offshore space and open innovation. Valuable data can be measured on the interaction between floating solar panels, seaweed farms and wind turbines whilst setting an inspiring precedent for the industry.

The first step of the open innovation is the concept development. This has been done in a design sprint with experts from different backgrounds. The main sprint questions have been defined on how to make the concept profitable, define the ecological impact and maintain the structural integrity and the logistics around the wind farm. The conclusion of the design sprint is a modular lay-out with bioinspired flexible solar panels and a seaweed growth system which can be easily harvested and seeded.

MARINs Offshore Basin is transformed into a multi-use North Sea farm in order to test different hydromechanical aspects of the design. The tree main research topics are: the forces and behaviour of the structure, the wave damping capabilities of a seaweed farm and the hydro structural behaviour of the flexible solar panels. Of course the hydromechanical aspects are not the only important research topic. During the tests a demonstration and evaluation day is organised to show the tests to interested stakeholders and together with them investigate the next steps in the development of multi-use platforms.